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The BEACON Feb. 2020

Regional Reach. Community Commitment. Covering Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, and Ripley Counties in Southeast Indiana and Southwest Ohio.

Regional Reach. Community Commitment. Covering Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, and Ripley Counties in Southeast Indiana and Southwest Ohio.

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Page 4A THE <strong>BEACON</strong> <strong>Feb</strong>ruary <strong>2020</strong><br />

United Way Unites Communities and Changes Lives<br />

Continued from page 1A<br />

Ms. Snyder elaborates, “We<br />

are trying to move people<br />

out of poverty and trying to<br />

understand the barriers around<br />

them.” When people walk<br />

through the door in need of<br />

help, Ms. Snyder explains<br />

they take a family-centered<br />

approach asking what has<br />

brought them here and how<br />

can we help you. United Way<br />

strives to unite communities<br />

to change lives. <strong>The</strong> organization<br />

is a collaborator that<br />

partners with many different<br />

agencies within an area to<br />

make it better. United Way<br />

helps to lead programs to help<br />

people not only improve their<br />

lives but to help them find<br />

ways to move out of poverty<br />

for the duration. United<br />

Way’s vision is to educate all<br />

people, so they are prepared<br />

for life’s challenges. Successful<br />

citizens equal successful<br />

communities.<br />

Ms. Snyder shares that<br />

United Way of Southeast<br />

Indiana has been around for a<br />

very long time, and for many<br />

years it was run on the efforts<br />

of volunteers. She was hired<br />

in 2007 and is thrilled to be<br />

working with Jill Ruther, who<br />

was hired in May. Mrs. Ruther<br />

is also a Dearborn County<br />

resident who explains, “Before<br />

coming to United Way, I<br />

worked for two of our partner<br />

agencies. I have always<br />

respected and know firsthand<br />

the important work United<br />

Way does for the region. Being<br />

a resident of Southeast<br />

Indiana myself, I am excited<br />

to build relationships, raise<br />

funds, and make an impact<br />

in my community.” United<br />

Way of Southeast Indiana is<br />

part of United Way of Greater<br />

A group of volunteers from the community action day when they cleaned up Guilford Park. (Photo courtesy of<br />

United Way)<br />

Cincinnati. It also is a member<br />

of the Indiana United Way<br />

Association. As Ms. Snyder<br />

says, they “have to look in<br />

both directions.” <strong>The</strong> Southeast<br />

Indiana organization is<br />

in a rebuilding mode as they<br />

are working on being more<br />

visible. <strong>The</strong>y now have their<br />

own Facebook page and are<br />

working on their own Twitter<br />

account. This incorporation<br />

of social media will help to<br />

make them more accessible.<br />

<strong>The</strong> neat thing about United<br />

Way is that they do so much<br />

more than one thing or one<br />

service; they lend a helping<br />

hand to numerous service<br />

organizations. <strong>The</strong>y strive to<br />

unite communities to change<br />

lives by working with partner<br />

agencies and helping to fund<br />

them and their programs.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y bring the agencies<br />

together so they can gain the<br />

most out of what each agency<br />

has to offer. United Way fills<br />

in the gaps when needed.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y campaign on a collective<br />

whole and donate the<br />

funds out. United Way helps<br />

to kick-start programs. Once<br />

the programs are off and running,<br />

they move on to the next<br />

need identified in the community.<br />

United Way of Southeast<br />

Indiana is its own governing<br />

body. <strong>The</strong>y adhere to the<br />

mission of the United Way in<br />

the region. At the same time,<br />

they can make decisions about<br />

what they feel is important<br />

and the impact their efforts<br />

will have in their area. United<br />

Way has an Action Council<br />

comprised of local volunteers<br />

who aid in this process.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Action Council does not<br />

handle any of the finances;<br />

this is handled by the board,<br />

which is a part of United Way<br />

of Greater Cincinnati. Those<br />

who serve on a committee or<br />

the Action Council meet with<br />

Ms. Snyder to ensure they are<br />

aware of the parameters of the<br />

positions as well as being sure<br />

the relationship is a proper<br />

fit. Action Council member<br />

and Dearborn County resident,<br />

Jill Timon, shared her<br />

perspective with me. “Joining<br />

the Action Council has been<br />

enlightening and helped me<br />

understand how integral and<br />

important the United Way<br />

is to assist those in need in<br />

Southeast Indiana. I am happy<br />

Tyler Stenger, Hank Timon and Anna Timon volunteering<br />

to paint <strong>The</strong> Born Learning part of <strong>The</strong> Dearborn Trail for<br />

United Way. (Photo courtesy of Jill Timon)<br />

to use my experience to help<br />

create more awareness of the<br />

family-centered approach of<br />

the United Way within the local<br />

community,” she said.<br />

Ms. Snyder explains that<br />

United Way and one of their<br />

partners, <strong>The</strong> Community<br />

Building Institute, which<br />

is a group of city planners,<br />

sociologists, and urban<br />

anthropologists, interviewed<br />

numerous citizens on pressing<br />

community issues. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

identified the top three issues<br />

that citizens felt needed to<br />

be addressed- workforce<br />

development, leadership, and<br />

substance abuse. <strong>The</strong> United<br />

Way of Southeast Indiana and<br />

<strong>The</strong> Dearborn County Cham-<br />

Continued on page 5A<br />

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12836 North St.<br />

Dillsboro, IN 47018<br />

812-432-5684<br />

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223 Main St.<br />

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812-438-3400<br />

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401 W Eads Parkway, Suite 270<br />

Lawrenceburg, IN 47025<br />

812-537-1798<br />

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Twenty-five Years of Bringing our Community and Businesses Together.

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